The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-12-28
On Earth Peace---Good VIII Toward
| Men.

On Earth Peace---Good VIII Toward
| Men.
Christian Netghbor.
Accepting the chronology it may be
said that next Sabbath will be- ;eigh-
teen hundred and eighty-seven years
since Jesus was born. The angel that
made the announcement to- the, rshep-
herds said, "Fear not for, behold, T
bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day in the city
of David Saviour, which is Christ
the Lord. And this shall be a sign
unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying
a manger. And suddenly there'Swas
with the angel a multitude Of the
heavenly host praising God and, say
ing, Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will toward
men," The shepherds went and
found as the angel had said. Thus
and then it was that "Christ Jesus
came into the world to save. sinners"
the salvation of sinners was the
sole business of his coming. All he
did and all he suffered from the man
ger to the cross, was to this end.
Having finished the work"-the
active in his mission-which the Fa-
ther had given him to do, and having
ended his sufferings-the passive in
his mission-when he "said, 1T is
Finished and bowed his head, and
gave up the ghost" and hav-
ing risen from. the dead, and hav-
ing ascended up into heaven, and
having, of right, received of the Fa-
ther "all power in heaven and in
earth," he gave to the apostles and
other disciples the mandatory COM
mission to Ego into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature''-
THAT God 80 loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that who
soever believeth i'm him should not
perish, but have everlasting life,"
I"but that he that believeth not shall
be damned"
1.-THE record which God gave of his
Son"-"Christ and him crucified''-
"the truth as it is in Jesus'-"the
word"-is that which men are COM
manded to preach. The subject mat
ter, the text" of all true and faith
full preaching is the gospel of Christ
which alone and of itself is the power
of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth. -.
Faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God," and
in no other way. According to
accepted teaching so is faith. For
faith to stand in the power of God it
must be led to such standing by the
teaching of the word of God, even as
the inspired teacher the Gentiles
said of the matter and amer Of his
speech and his preaching. 81 deter
mined not to know anything among
you, save Jesus Christ and him cruci-
fed. And my speech and my
preaching was not with enticing words
of mans wisdom, but in demonstra-
ton of the of Spirit and of power:
that your faith should not stand in the
wisdom of men, but in the power Of
God"
The gospel thus know'a by those
called of God to preach it, and thus
preached, and thus believed, will be
attended by the Spirit who will make
that gospel the experienced power Of
God unto salvation to every one that
believeth. =
All who experience this power unto
salvation will feel to join in the song
of the angels at the birth Of the
Saviour, Christ the Lord: Glory to
God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will to men.
A peaceful Christmas to all readers
of the CHRISTIAN NEIaHBoR-good
will to all others. Amen.
CoMMENDABLE.-Th Woman's Ma
tional Indian Association, according to